So you are getting sick of not seeing a lot of LGBT representation in the media–here is a list that I’ve compiled to keep you busy for while. Note: I’m only reviewing the ones that I’ve actually seen or read.
Movies:
1. “But I’m a Cheerleader” This is a humorous depiction of the ridiculous notion that gay people can be trained to be straight.
2. “All Over Me” is a coming of age drama about best friends and homophobia. It features a young, Leisha Haley and has an awesome soundtrack.
3. “Bound”–Gina Gershon plays a plumber who has a relationship with a mobster’s wife.
4. “Kissing Jessica Stein” If you like romantic comedies, you might like this one. I personally thought it was kind of lame, but I was happy to see a mainstream movie about lesbians.
5. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” I highly recommend this one! It’s controversial and graphic. It’s about a transgendered singer.
6. “Short Bus” Comes to you from the makers of Hedwig. It’s about an underground sex club—very graphic.
7. “Prey for Rock N Roll” stars Gina Gershon, a 40 year old, bisexual, rocker, who contemplates where her life is going from here. I’d list it as a drama. It’s a very good movie.
8. “Broke Back Mountain” made me snore. Before I watched it, I had heard awesome reviews from my LGBT and straight friends. I absolutely hated it. I was so bored that it took me 3 sittings to get through it.
9. “Transamerica” is a great movie about a MTF tranny who gets a call from her juvenile delinquent son. He is expected a male dad to show up. The shit hits the fan when she reveals to him that she is his dad.
10. “Boys Don’t Cry” is about a FTM transsexual. It’s based on the true story of Brandon Teena. This is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen in terms of illustrating the bigotry and hatred that transgendered people face.
11. “Loving Annabelle”
12. “Latter Days”
13. “D.E.B.S.”
14. “Beautiful Thing”
15. “Trick”
16. “Tipping the Velvet”
17. “Big Eden”
18. “Get Real”
19. “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”
20. “Angels in America”
21. “When Night is Falling”
22. “Fingersmiths” is a beautiful movie about 2 women that have been unknowingly interconnected since birth. It’s a period film, with a clever twist.
23. “When Night is Falling”
24. “Torch Song Trilogy”
25. “Desert Hearts”
26. “Better Than Chocolate”
27. “The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy”
28. “Aimee & Jaguar”
29. “Maurice”
30. “Mambo Italiano”
31. “Die Mommie Die”
32. “Camp”
33. “Saving Face”
34. “The Birdcage”
35. “Adam and Steve”
36. “Edge of Seventeen”
37. “The Sum of Us”
38. “Fire”
39. “The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love”
40. “It’s My Party”
41. “Soldier’s Girl”
42. “Rocky Horror Picture Show” If you haven’t seen this, you are seriously out of the loop and I order you to go buy/rent/watch this right now!!!!
43. “Gia” is about famous, lesbian, model, Gia (played by Angelina Jolie).
44. “The Boys in the Band”
45. “Philadelphia”
46. “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar”
47. “High Art” is the story of 2 neighbors that end up falling for each other and then it turns heartbreaking—sex, drugs, and art.
48. “Chutney Popcorn”
49. “Ma Vie en Rose”
50. “Jeffrey”
51. “Heavenly Creatures”
52. “Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss”
53. “Gods and Monsters”
TV Shows:
1. “The L-Word” is pretty much my favorite show in the world. It’s the first mainstream television show to have a transgendered character; It represents women of color, white women, lesbians, bisexuals, straight women and men, deaf women, older women…etc; This is television though, so expect to see a bunch of stereotypically beautiful people and very few normal looking ones. That would have to be the show’s only down fall.
2. “Queer as Folk” is another show that I absolutely love. It takes place in Pittsburgh and follows the lives of several gay men and a lesbian couple they are friends with. It’s not as diverse as the L-Word, but just as dramatic. I’ve been renting these from the library to watch.
3. “Will and Grace”is a sitcom about a straight woman and her gay friends. It’s pretty funny, but not a favorite of mine.
4. “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” is a show about 5 guys (the fab five) giving the lives of average-Joe straight guys a major makeover.
5. “Transgeneration” follows 4 transgendered, college, students throughout the school year. It is excellent. I highly recommend this show!
6. “Ellen”
7. “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila” is a dating show, where bisexual, model, Tila, chooses the man or woman of her dreams. Reality TV is, after all, a guilty pleasure of mine.
Magazines:
1. “Curve” contains dating advice, DYI ideas, reviews of movies and music, interviews with celebrities, and other lesbian resources.
2. “The Advocate”
Music:
1. Scream Club–a favorite of mine…hip-hop/rap/electronic stuff….fun costumes, great live.
2. Team Gina–another favorite…inspired by Scream Club…funny songs about being a lesbian and being from the 80’s.
3. Le Tigre–yet another favorite–electronic with some punk vocals and lots dancing involved.
4. The Men–jd and the chick (that isn’t Kathleen Hanna) from Le Tigre form a new band. I haven’t heard them yet, but I’m way interested.
5. Melissa Etheridge–snore
6. k.d. Lang–snore
7. The Murmurs–former band of Leisha Haley–cutesy alternative/pop
8. Gush–another former band of Leisha Haley
9. Uh Huh Her–current band of Leisha Haley
10. The Butchies–love them, sort of punky/alternative/pop (it so damn hard to classify music)
11. Melange Levone-She raps about issues like hate crimes, gay parenting, and domestic violence. She’s very political and I’ve met her, she’s super nice in person.
12. Ani Defranco-popular bisexual, folk, artist.
13. Tegan and Sarah–sweet music
14. Linda Perry–former singer of alternative band, Four Non Blondes. I haven’t actually heard her solo stuff.
15. Pink-we all know Pink.
16. Tracy Chapman-I’m not a huge fan of her stuff. It’s bluesy and I have to be in a certain mood to be able to listen to it.
17. Tribe 8–riot grrl sound…raw…good
18. Athens Boys Choir-FTM tranny from Athens Georgia. Using a laptop and a white movie screen, he raps about being from GA, being a tranny…etc. He’s very funny and awesome live.
19. Pet Shop Boys
20. Sleater-Kinney–need no introduction.
21. Green Day–yes, Billie Joe Armstrong IS bi.
22. Sia-Listen to the song “Breathe me” and you will be hooked.
23. Lesbians on Ecstasy
24. Nicky Click–I like her stuff. I saw her live with Scream Club and it was an awesome show.
25. The Sounds
26. The Gossip- Look them up right now!
27. Indigo Girls-not into them, but I know a lot of people that are.
28. Bessie Smith-old school blues
29. The Moaners
30. The Applicators
31. The Cliks
32. Joan Jett-equals my heart
33. Boy George-duh
34. Elton John-duh
35. Nirvana-Kurt Cobain identified as bisexual.
36. Bikini Kill-an old favorite
37. Betty Blowtorch
Okay, so these lists are VERY incomplete, but I just wanted to give you an idea of how many LGBT artists of all different venues are out there. If you can think of more, please post as a comment.